The upcoming USA National Gymnastics Championships are going to be held here in Milwaukee. The event will be hosted at the BMO Harris Bradley Center between June 27 and July 2 2017. Performances in acrobatic and rhythmic gymnastics as well as trampoline and tumbling will occur and will determine both junior and senior spots on the U.S. National Teams for each discipline.
The event will showcase over 1,000 of the country’s top gymnasts in the categories mentioned. The competition will also be a part of the selection process for the 2017 World Championships for those competing in the rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline and tumbling. Those competing in the acrobatic and rhythmic disciplines also have the chance to be a team member for the 2017 World Games – an event similar to the Olympics, but instead featuring the events not included in the Olympic Games.
Additionally, the Junior Olympic competition will occur over the course of the six days, and the division has multiple levels. National titles will be determined based on both level and age group.
The specific schedule of the competition is not yet available, and tickets will be available in 2017.
The disciplines mentioned are lesser known to the general public, as the sport is mainly characterized by artistic gymnastics. However, each discipline highlights certain aspects that align with the general idea of gymnastics or a sport displaying extreme agility and coordination.
In particular, acrobatic gymnastics is performed in partners or groups. This discipline aligns dance elements with tumbling within three separate routines: balance, dynamic and combined. Each routine is choreographed to music. The balance event focuses on strength and flexibility. The dynamic routine incorporates throws, flips and catches. The combined routine takes elements from balance and dynamic routines.
Rhythmic gymnastics is another group sport, and is also judged individually. It highlights elements of ballet and gymnastics while utilizing various pieces of apparatus: rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon. Routines utilize the floor space in its entirety, and contain leaps, balances, pirouettes and showcase flexibility.
Trampoline and tumbling is another discipline of gymnastics, and combines individual and synchronized trampoline, double-mini trampoline and tumbling events. Individual trampoline involves a choreographed routine of aerial skills and is typically judged on a 10-point scale.
Synchronized trampoline is the same concept; however, two competitors perform the routine in sync. Double mini-trampoline requires gymnasts to run towards an angled trampoline to launch themselves onto another trampoline, performing aerial skills between both and prior to landing. Tumbling requires athletes to perform a series of various flips and twists down a tumbling track.